Half a Sixpence

‘Half a Sixpence’ was expressly written for Tommy Steele and confirmed his star status in Britain. It opened at the Cambridge Theatre, London in 1963 and two years later in New York where it gave him an international reputation and led to a career in Hollywood.

To stage a show about the life and loves of a large department store at a time when T.V. audiences are tuning into ‘Mr. Selfridge’ each Sunday evening was probably unintentional but the timing was great!

The opening song was good and although the stage was fairly sparsely dressed, the two tailors dummies and the counter created the interior of the Drapery Emporium satisfactorily and the cast were busy about their business of buying or selling.

It’s not easy to take a role made famous by a well-known singer/film star but Jody Ridgwell played the part extremely well. He was a likeable cockney lad and although a gentler Kipps than the original character, I liked him and felt it suited his personality. I believe it is his first lead part - an enormous one to start with as he was on stage for most of the evening. His singing voice is most pleasant and he put across the numbers admirably.

The male quartet was very good and the choreography well rehearsed and performed in ‘Money to Burn’.

Glenys Hann made a lovely Ann Pornick, fresh and uncomplicated and just the sort of girl with whom the unsophisticated Kipps would fall in love. Her acting and singing were good. The relationship with Arthur had its moments and the song in the house (when she is doing chores that Kipps now considers beneath her) was very touching.

Playing Helen Walsingham, a teacher prepared to tenderly mould Kipps to fit her social standing Dawn Sainsbury had a good upper-class accent and played the part admirably.

As her mother Mrs Walsingham Sue Tregonning was excellent. She was haughty to a degree, an out and out snob and she too maintained the appropriate accent for the character.

In the role of the flamboyant actor Harry Chitterlow William Hann was extremely good. His costumes were outrageous and he looked as though he were enjoying the part tremendously. His singing was good too.

David O’Sullivan, James Griffiths and Dan Curtis, playing Sid, Pearce and Buggins, gave realistic performances to create a group of young friends within Kipps’ working and social life, and Christina Best, Emily Hurley, Lucy Norfolk and Alice Moore gave secure performances, agreeably characterising shop girls of that era. Their costumes were ideal.

Direction was commendable and there were some notable scenes, one of which was the YPA. Every person on stage was busy at the realistic looking work-benches which made for a most interesting scene.

As the owner of the store Mr. Shalford, John Carter was clearly authoritative and later his apoplectic moment as Kipps resigns was very funny and well acted.

Young Walsingham was truly his mother’s son, bearing the same superior attitude, and Nathaniel Page played this character convincingly.

The other members of the cast playing named parts contributed to this very good production, as did the children and the large chorus.

‘What a picture’ was a great number. Again lots of visual interest along with strong singing made it particularly entertaining.

The cricket match was really well presented and Kipps’ on stage transformation into a gentleman was handled skilfully.

Choreography was particularly enjoyable being well rehearsed and executed by the company.

The scenic cloths aptly created the different locations and the sound and lighting also added to the success of the musical.

Costumes were a bit mixed and I’m not sure if they were the ones sent by the costumiers or not but I’ve made notes so I will pass them on to you.

Kipps’ suit did not look like one from the period in which the story is set, the turn of the century. On the other hand Mr Shalford looked extremely smart and was dressed correctly.

There were some shorter skirts on stage and all the ladies would have worn long ones, and Walsingham’s trousers were far too long. Men wore braces to hold up their trousers and never had copious wrinkles around the ankles.

Lighter coloured shoes rather than black ones would have looked better with Glenys’ first frock.

Back stage worked efficiently but needed long sleeved shirts.

I think this is the only time that I didn’t find much help from your programme when I came to write my report. There were no names against musical numbers, which is really important not just for me but for the audience too, and the cast list is in a strange place.  I like to see different formats for programmes but this one didn’t work for me. There isn’t a name listed for the programme design so perhaps that accounts for the rather haphazard assemblage.

These few negatives did not take away from your production, which was extremely good indeed. I enjoyed it tremendously and would like to congratulate you all on providing a wonderful evening’s entertainment.

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